Which reaction is commonly associated with failure in individuals?

Rationalization is commonly associated with failure in individuals because it involves the cognitive distortion of “the facts” to make an event or an impulse less threatening. In the context of failure, individuals may use rationalization to justify their mistakes or shortcomings, allowing them to maintain a positive self-image or avoid feelings of guilt and shame. For example, after not performing well on an exam, a person might convince themselves that the test was unfair or that the subject matter was irrelevant to their future. This mechanism provides emotional comfort but can hinder personal growth and accountability, as it prevents individuals from fully confronting the reality of their actions and the consequences that follow.

In contrast, the other choices represent different psychological mechanisms that, while they may also relate to failure in various contexts, do not directly provide the same justification-seeking function that rationalization does. Projections involve attributing one's unacceptable feelings to others, displacement involves redirecting emotions to a less threatening target, and suppression is about consciously trying to forget or push away distressing thoughts. Each of these mechanisms has its own implications but does not engage with the self-deception aspect related to one's own failures as rationalization does.